


Priorities

by Iolanfg



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Established Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mycroft is a Softie, Poor Greg Lestrade
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 08:53:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18465631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iolanfg/pseuds/Iolanfg
Summary: - You've gone mad, Mycroft.- This is taking up too much of my time. I have other priorities.- But Mycroft, you like....- No.- interrupted Mycroft abruptly. - It's over. It was good, but it's over. The benefits it brings me don't compensate for the inconvenience it causes me.Greg listens to a conversation between the Holmes brothers, and draws some conclusions...English is not my first language, it has been translated with the help of Deepl Traductor. I'm sorry for any mistake.





	Priorities

**Author's Note:**

> Everything is the property of Doyle, Moffat y Gatiss.
> 
> Thank you for reading

Greg silently left 221B Baker Street, holding his breath.  
He had passed by to give some reports to Sherlock and had stopped behind the door, listening to the brothers argue.  
He was not the kind of person who listened to conversations on the sly, and this case wouldn't have been any different if I hadn't heard Mycroft say his name as he climbed the stairs.

–You've gone mad, Mycroft.- Disbelief echoed in Sherlock's voice.  
–This is taking up too much of my time. I have other priorities.  
–But Mycroft, you like....  
–No,- interrupted the government official abruptly. - It's over. It was good, but it's over. The benefits it brings me don't compensate for the inconvenience it causes me.

Greg couldn't believe it.

If, lately things had been a little tense between them. If his work schedules had always been demanding, between Brexit, terrorist threats and the rise of the extreme right, Mycroft could hardly find time for anything.  
He tried to be patient and understanding, but the continual trips and cancellations of appointments began to weigh too much.  
And when, during the celebration of his parents' wedding anniversary, a helicopter landed in the backyard, urgently demanding to take Mycroft, who to his parents was a mere official, it was simply too much, and Greg exploded.  
Since then Mycroft had almost tiptoed around him. As if he was afraid to breathe too hard and bother Greg, with something he refused to share wandering around in his mind.  
And Greg was frustrated, both with Mycroft, for his inability to set limits to his work, and with himself, because he knew perfectly well before he began his relationship that the life of the elder Holmes revolved around work and that that would always be a priority.  
After all, many lives depended on Mycroft's work. Literally.  
But he never imagined that Mycroft would want to end his relationship. Much less that he would tell his brother before telling him.  
He spent the day at the Yard, filling out paperwork with his mind elsewhere, and ignoring Mycroft's texts and calls.  
John's call, in a tone between surprised and cheerful, did not help either:  
\- Hey! I just found out and I can't believe... Wait a minute, Mycroft already told you, didn't he?  
Greg wondered if John was making fun of him or the insensitivity was contagious.   
\- Mycroft? Yes, I heard.....  
Greg clenched his teeth as he heard the laughter of his, supposedly, friend.  
\- Don't you think that's incredible? You must be happy.  
Greg snorted.  
\- Happy? Do you think I'm happy?  
John hesitated on the other side of the line.  
\- Well, yes, I thought it would make you happy....  
\- No, John, that Mycroft is an imbecile who gives up the first difficulty doesn't make me happy, much less that he doesn't have the courage to tell me before informing half of England. But if he want to throw it all away, that's he problem! And now, if you don't care, I have work to attend to!  
He hung up without hearing the doctor's reply.  
Angry, nervous and sad, not wanting to go back to the house they shared, he decided to stop at the pub before returning. A few beers would give him the courage to face the redhead, without being able to believe that the best years of his life were about to end.  
If he wanted his relationship to end, it would end, but Mycroft would hear what Greg had to say.

 

Mycroft left the office quieter than he'd felt in years. He had made a difficult decision, but he not regretted it at all.   
It had been a shock to everyone, starting with Sherlock, but he felt that, for once, he was doing what was best for himself.  
At first he didn't care that Gregory didn't answer his messages, he must have been busy, but as the hours went by he began to worry.  
Sherlock's texts didn't help either.  
"Mycroft, don't make hasty decisions."  
"Mycroft, John has spoken to Greg... I don't know how, but he found out. He's not happy..."  
For the first time, the eldest of the Holmes doubted, how was it possible that he had found out? And why would he be angry? What if he was wrong? What if it wasn't Mycroft he loved, if not what he represented with his position in the government?  
He dismissed those thoughts, telling himself that Gregory was not like that.   
He had met many other people who sought to relate to him out of interest, and the DI just wasn't like that.  
He prepared Gregory's favorite dish for dinner, opened a good wine, and waited.

 

When he left the bar, it was past two o'clock in the morning, and on his cell phone there were about fifty missed messages and calls.   
He came in trying not to make any noise, he was furious, but what he least wanted was to wake up Mycroft and have that discussion now.  
Greg passed in front of the dining room, stopping to see the prepared table, an open bottle of wine and the dinner, already cold, on the plates.  
"Wow, what a detail, a dinner to celebrate a breakup, what was he going to say to me? let's still be friends and come when he calls you like good dog?", he thought bitterly.

 

He was on his way to the guest room when the tall, slender figure of Mycroft, whom he had not seen, rose from the chair, lighting the table lamp.  
\- Where the hell have you been!? I was worried!  
Mycroft never screamed. For nothing. That he chose that night, the very night he planned to leave him, to show himself indignant, made Greg boil with rage.  
\- Oh, were you worried? Wow, you don't know how sorry I am. It must be so frustrating for you... Yes, I'm sorry to have caused you hassles. A lot more hassles than benefits, right?

Mycroft looked at him blinking, perplexed.  
\- What the hell are you talking about, Gregory?  
Greg snorted, tired and disappointed. He turned around.  
\- Look, I'm going to bed, I don't want to take up any more of your time. Tomorrow I'll pick up my things and leave.   
Mycroft froze for a moment, before grabbing him by the arm and making him come back.  
\- Wait a minute, can you tell what's going on now? What have I done? Why do you want to leave?  
Now it was Greg who couldn't believe what he heard  
\- Really? Did you expect me to stay? Our relationship is over and you expect me to stay? Why? If one night you get bored and need company in bed?  
Mycroft recoiled, stunned, as if slapped. The pain and confusion in his face caused something to stir inside the detective.  
\- Has our relationship...? What...? Why? I know we haven't had much time lately, but I thought what...  
Mycroft stopped, swallowing, as if it were hard for him to talk. Slowly, he sat down again. Greg, looked at him confused.   
\- What are you playing at, Mycroft? I heard you.   
Mycroft gave him a questioning look, without understanding.  
\- This morning, with Sherlock. "It's been fun, but it's over. I have other priorities" Ring a bell?  
Mycroft looked up, beginning to understand. He sighed, rolling his hands over his face before fixing his gaze on Greg.   
\- Have you been spying on other people's conversations? Really?  
\- Yes...I didn't mean to, but yes. And I know it's wrong, but if you wanted to break up with me, you could have told me in the first place and not...  
Mycroft laughed without humor as he shook his head. That was not how I had imagined this  
\- I resigned, Gregory. - He interrupted.  
It took Greg a few seconds to understand what he had heard.  
\- What did you... what?  
\- I've been thinking about it for a while, so this morning I went to tell Sherlock. I didn't want to tell you anything in case things got complicated. I'm sorry, I...  
Greg knelt before him, still in shock.  
\- Have you resigned?  
\- I will still work as an external advisor to the government and agencies, they will keep my office in case I need it. But no more calls at three in the morning, no more unexpected trips to places I can't say and helicopters coming out of nowhere.   
\- You like your job...  
\- My job was all there was. Yes, it was fun, it filled my time and my mind. But I have other priorities now.  
Greg looked at him, getting closer as he lowered his head, embarrassed.   
\- You... You were talking about leaving work, not me... Me....   
Mycroft put his hands on the detective's cheeks, forcing him to raise his head, and leaning his forehead against his, smiling amusingly.  
\- ¿... I'm your priority?- Greg was trying not to cry.  
\- Yes, you are. Of course you are.  
\- God, I'm an idiot.  
\- You're my idiot, too.  
Greg chuckled.  
\- Sorry, I...  
\- No. I should have told you sooner. I am sorry. I'm sorry for the day you've been through. It was supposed to come out differently...  
\- I ruined dinner...  
\- There'll be other dinners. Many. One every night, if you want. Just you and me. No interruptions.  
Greg looked at his companion, still unable to believe what he had done for him, for them.   
Maybe he too should accept that promotion they had been proposing to him for so long. There would be more paperwork and less action, but also more free time. Leaving that thought for tomorrow, he left a slight kiss on the lips of his companion.  
\- I want that. I want every one of your nights and days. We have a lot of time to recover.   
\- You will have all the time you want. As long as you can bear me. I promise.  
\- And I promise not to listen behind the doors again.  
\- Yes, I think it would be a good idea... You wouldn't be a great agent, you know? Drawing conclusions that way... There would be a new war every day...  
They laughed together before kissing again.


End file.
